For The Weekenders: Create Your Weekend…

This weekend, it’s all about you. What you want to do, where you want to go, who you want to see, and where you want to be. Figured it’d be a good idea to change things up a bit from the regular For The Weekenders and put you, in the driver’s seat this time. So here’s three great apps I personally use whenever I wanna just wing it. They’ve been around for a while now, and I’m surprised not as many people have them considering that fact.

Bottom line, when you’re looking to make a choice on a whim, the last thing you need is something slowing down that impulse or snap decision. Fortunately, these apps help you avoid encountering such a clutchy mishap. Enjoy.

Create Your Weekend. Starting Now.

So your friends decided to drop in on you by surprise and now you guys are out on the next plane to [insert awesome city here]. The minute you touch down you all have no fucking clue where to go, but you know you’re hungry, thirsty, and ready to party. What do you do? Casually reach for your smartphone and tap that little app called “Yelp.”

Yeah I know. Yelp’s been around for a while now…but surprisingly, its app is underused and underrated. Sure, you can search for restaurants, bars, etc the typical, boring way…but what about when you’re out walking around downtown and have no sense of direction and no idea where you’re going? Cue Monocle.

What is monocle exactly? Oh you know, just a bundle of awesomeness. That utilizes augmented reality. Remember all those futuristic shows you used to watch when you were a kid? Oddly enough without even realizing it we’ve reached the future all short of flying cars. Computers with touch screen capability that fit in the palm of your hand, voice to text, A.I., use of Wi-Fi in airplanes, robot vacuum cleaners, you name it most of it’s been done….then comes along this sweet ass app.

If virtual reality and actual reality had a baby, they’d name it Monocle. Or simulated reality – but honestly, Monocle sounds way cooler.

Long story short, you simply open the Yelp app, select “Monocle,” hold your phone up in front of you, and away you go – a screen of what’s right in front of you, with access to information on restaurants, lounges, bars, and any other activity you can imagine, reviews included. You get the name, the hours, the review ratings, pricing, and most importantly distance, of any restaurant within your GPS‘ close radius all at quite literally, your fingertips.

You can turn around full circle and see every POI (point of interest) within that range. When something piques your curiosity, you simply tap to select it, get the directions, further stats, etc, and in under five minutes you’ve just found a place you and you friends can party. Welcome to the future. Go you.

How about those situations where you’re on a casual date, you know, just coffee, conversation, that sort of thing. Things seem to be going pretty well considering you’ve been meeting up casually, and quite honestly you like to maintain a “mysterious but observant” aura. So you both start on the subject of media, books, usual things that help humans determine similar interest that don’t go too deep, and your date mentions they’ve been figuratively dying to see that new movie that just came out.

The night is still young, it’s quite a low key, casual date, and there’s no particular plans set in stone except enjoying each other’s company…would you continue sitting there talking, or use that opportunity to do something pretty cool?

Good – I was hoping you’d pick that last option. So here’s the game plan – you get your date to elaborate a bit more on that movie they were talking about, while you, my dear friend, quickly look at your smart phone as if you’ve just received a text, and be sure to continue engaging in conversation so you don’t come off as an arse. Meanwhile, you’ll pop open your Fandango app and book tickets for two then and there at the nearest cinema available.

It’s from here, after your date says “…and yeah, that’s what it’s about. I just can’t wait to go see it,” that you smile and say “you know, that’s funny, I had a feeling you’d like that film, so I booked us tickets. Show starts in 30 – wanna get out of here?”

This is where Urban Daddy’s: The Next Move app, comes into play. Why do I love this thing so much? Because it’s so fucking awesome. Seriously. It’s got a nice little human touch, and points you to only the best spots in town. Scratch that – it doesn’t just point you to the best spots, but personalizes the experience and tailors it with just a few short scenario descriptions that fit whatever situation you’re in at that given moment.

I’ve had this app since the beginning – stuck with it through the glitches, and today can honestly say the guys over at UD have expanded it into a damn fine piece of programming that they should be proud to brag about.